Tobias closed the door behind him, his face painted with guilt, though his eyes still carried that sharpness I had grown too familiar with.

“Carmela,” he sighed, rubbing his temples as though I were the one causing him a headache. “I only said those things because Janine was depressed. She needed someone to lift her up. You should try to be more understanding.”

I laughed bitterly, though it came out broken. “Understanding? After everything she did, after everything I lost, you want me to understand her?”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice like he was trying to soothe me. “About the inheritance… shouldn’t you give it to her? There will be signing soon. You don’t even know how to handle business, Carmela. At least she can do something with it.”

My heart ached, but it wasn’t surprise. It was the same old wound being ripped open again.

I had been used to this—his words, his promises, the way he always managed to twist everything until I was the one who looked unreasonable.

I remembered the nights he swore he’d take me away for our anniversary, the days he promised he’d introduce me proudly as his wife, the quiet vows of “next time” that never came. I had believed him each time. I thought it was loyalty. I thought it was love. But now I knew—it was blindness.

Tobias reached into his pocket, pulling out a velvet box. “Listen. I was preparing for our wedding in five days. It was supposed to be a surprise, but maybe if you know, you’ll calm down. The ring is real this time, not plastic. We’ll merge the families officially, Carmela. Please.”

His words felt like smoke.

And still, part of me—some foolish, aching part—remembered the man I once thought loved me. But that was the illusion. My heart ached with the bitter knowledge that it was never me he wanted. It was the inheritance. It was my father’s favor.

Even my brothers—Thomas and Paul. I had spent years believing they loved me, protecting me, cherishing me as their sister. But now, looking back, I saw it clearly. They smiled because Father always placed me above them.

They played the role of loyal brothers because I was the one with everything in my hands. It was never love. It was envy, carefully dressed up as family.

And Janine… back then, I thought she was the one person I was closest to. My sister. My blood. I used to share secrets with her, defend her when people called her reckless, even cover for her when Father was angry. I thought that was what sisters were meant to do—stand by each other.

I thought she stayed close to me because we had a bond. But now, I see it differently. Maybe she was close because I was convenient. Because I could shield her. Because she could laugh behind my back with Tobias when I wasn’t looking. How long had it been going on? How many nights that Tobias claimed he was “busy” were really spent in her arms?

I thought he was building a future for us. I cooked dinners that went cold waiting for him, celebrated birthdays alone, even lit candles by myself on anniversaries.

I told myself it was fine, that he loved me but was simply working hard. That one day he’d make it up to me.

But now I knew the truth—he wasn’t busy. He was cheating. He was lying. He was building a future—but not with me.

He added softly, “Janine is back because she’s sick. Try to understand her. She needs family, and we need her too.”

I shook my head, tears stinging. “Sick? You accused me of something I didn’t do. I wasn’t the one who scammed. I even lost our baby and you—”

But before I could finish, Janine’s shrill scream echoed through the hallway.

“Help me! Tobias!”

He spun around without hesitation and bolted toward her voice, leaving me standing there. Always her. Never me.

I clenched my fists, choking back a sob. Fine. Let him run to her. Let them all. I didn’t care anymore.

I turned back to my room, wiping my tears, and struck a match. A small candle flickered to life, soft and trembling. I set it down, whispering a prayer for the child I hadn’t even known I carried—the child I lost before I could love. My lips trembled.

“My baby… I’m sorry. I should’ve protected you.”

The flame blurred as fresh tears burned my eyes.

But before I could finish, heavy footsteps thudded against the floorboards. The door burst open.

Thomas stormed in, his face dark, his hand clamping down on my wrist. “Come here.”

I tried to pull back. “What are you doing?”

“You and Janine share the same blood,” he said coldly. “She needs it. You’re going to donate.”

“No! I don’t want to—”

My protest was cut short by the sting of a fist. Paul’s fist. My head snapped to the side, the room spinning.

Pain shot through my skull, and before I could even scream, darkness swallowed me whole.

When I opened my eyes again, the world was blurry. The bright lights above me hurt. My arms felt heavy, my veins aching.

I tilted my head weakly, and horror flooded me. Tubes were strapped into my arm. My blood… they were draining my blood.

“No…” My voice was a whisper, thin and broken.

Somewhere near, I heard a doctor’s frantic voice. “We can’t take more! She’s already weak from the accident. If we push further, she won’t survive!”

“Just drain everything!” Tobias’s voice thundered, colder than ice. “I don’t care what happens to her!”

My lips trembled. He… he wanted this.

Another voice followed, Thomas’s harsh and bitter. “Make her sick. Weak enough so she can’t fight back. Enough so she’ll die slowly.”

Paul’s laugh was low, cruel. “Yes. Then we’ll have everything.”

Their words stabbed deeper than the needle in my arm. My chest heaved, my vision dimming.

I wanted to scream. To fight. To tell them that they would regret this, that I would never forgive them. But my body betrayed me. Weak. Helpless.

The edges of my vision bled into black. Their voices grew faint, muffled, like echoes in a cavern.

And then, nothing. Only darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, the ceiling swam above me. My body was lead, my hands trembling so badly I could hardly move them. I couldn’t even lift a finger without feeling like my bones would snap. But I forced myself. I had to.

With every ounce of strength left, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. My hand fumbled, nearly dropping it, but I managed to grip it tight enough to dial one number—the only one that could save me now.

The line rang once. Twice. Then a steady voice answered. “Ms. Carmela?”

I swallowed, my throat raw. “Transfer everything. All the money… all assets under my name. Transfer them to Dave.”

There was a stunned silence. Then my lawyer’s voice, sharp with alarm. “Dave? Are you absolutely sure about this? What about your brothers, your husband—”

“They’ll survive,” I rasped. My eyes burned, but I forced the words out. “My father already left them more than enough. They can live off that. But everything under me—everything that was entrusted to me—goes to Dave. If I leave this world, I want to make sure they go broke. Not just me. Them too. That’s my last gift.”

“Carmela…” he hesitated. “This is irreversible. Once I process this—”

“Do it.” My grip loosened on the phone. It slipped from my trembling hand, clattering onto the floor. I couldn’t even bend down to pick it up.

That’s when the door creaked open.

“What’s this?” Thomas’s voice, sharp and suspicious, cut through the air. He bent, snatching my phone. “Dave? Who’s Dave?”

Paul stepped in behind him, his face twisted with fury. “Are you cheating on Tobias? Calling another man while you’re sick in bed?”

My chest heaved. “No. It’s not—”

But before I could explain, Tobias entered, his shadow darkening the room. His eyes narrowed. “What’s this I’m hearing? Who is Dave?”

I shook my head weakly. “It’s nothing. Just… nothing.”

Paul sneered. “She’s lying.”

Thomas smirked. “Doesn’t matter. She’s weak anyway. Better she eats now. We’ll draw blood from her again later.”

“No,” I whispered, trying to push myself up, my body trembling. “I can’t. I’m too weak…”

But they didn’t care.

“And also,” Paul shoved a stack of papers into my lap. “Sign this. Hospital papers. Don’t bother reading it.”

I stared at the papers, my vision blurry. I could still make out the lines—the inheritance transfer, legal phrases my father once told me to always look out for. They thought I didn’t know. They thought I was helpless.

Fine. I picked up the pen with shaking hands and signed. Because by now, I was sure. Dave already had everything. Whatever they thought they were stealing—it would vanish into dust.

Tobias smirked, sliding the papers away. He leaned down, brushing his lips against my forehead in a mockery of affection. “Good girl. Now take a rest. Once you’re better, we’ll proceed with the wedding.”

I almost laughed. A wedding? With him? He could wear me down, starve me, bleed me dry—but he’d never make me his bride. Not anymore.

The entire day blurred in and out of sleep until I gathered enough strength to get out of bed. I asked the nurse where Janine was. The nurse pointed toward the east wing.

When I walked in, Janine was propped on her bed, eyes wide in feigned innocence. She gasped. “Carmela! You shouldn’t be out of bed. Are you alright? I never meant for any of this—”

“Save it,” I snapped. My voice was hoarse, but my anger burned stronger than my weakness. “I’m not here for your lies. I came to say goodbye.”

Before she could respond, I raised the glass of water in my hand—and flung it into her face.

Her scream rang through the room as she grabbed at her drenched hair. “You—how dare you—!”

And before she could lunge, I slapped her. The crack echoed. For once, I didn’t regret it.

I turned and ran, her screams following me.

“Thomas! Paul! Tobias! She—she attacked me!”

I heard their footsteps thunder in the hall, Tobias’s voice calling after me. “Carmela! Stop right there!”

But I didn’t.

“Punish her!” Janine shrieked behind me. “Don’t let her leave!”

I bolted down the stairs, stumbling on weak legs, but adrenaline carried me. Out the front door, into the street—where a taxi slowed down just in time.

But before I could step in, a familiar hand grabbed mine. Strong, steady.

I froze, my eyes widening. “Dave?”

He gave me the smallest smile, his eyes burning with determination. “I’m here now. Let’s go.”

He opened the car door, guiding me inside. My heart pounded as the car sped off, leaving everything—Tobias, my brothers, Janine—screaming behind.

We drove fast, far, until the lights of the city gave way to the private airstrip. A plane waited, engines already humming.

Dave squeezed my hand as he guided me up the steps. His voice was firm. “From now on, Carmela, no one will hurt you again.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, pulling out my phone one last time. I stared at the screen, at the unanswered calls, the unread messages that never came.

Then, with a steady breath, I pulled out the SIM card and threw it into the night.

Tobias’s POV

“She slapped me, Tobias!” she wailed. “She threw water at me like I was nothing! I told you she would kill me one day, I told you!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to silence the pounding in my head. Everything was spiraling, and I hated losing control.

Thomas and Paul stood in the corner, muttering about how Carmela had dared to disrespect Janine again.

“Enough,” I said sharply. “We’ll deal with her.”

Thomas nodded. “She can’t get away with this. She was weak earlier—we should’ve drained more blood when we had the chance.”

Paul’s jaw tightened. “We’ll find her. She can’t have gone far.”

I turned to the butler, who lingered nervously by the doorway. “Where is she? Did you see where Carmela went?”

Janine buried her face in her hands, rocking back and forth. “She hates me. She’ll ruin everything, Tobias. You need to do something!”

Then suddenly, hurried footsteps pounded against the marble floor. The butler returned, his face ashen, sweat dripping down his temple.

“Sir…” His voice cracked, his chest heaving. “I just received a call. From the traffic police.”

My stomach dropped. “What is it?”

He swallowed hard. “There’s been an accident on the highway.” His eyes darted to mine, fearful. “It’s… Miss Carmela. They said she… she’s dead... after jumping off the bridge...”